health and safety
25/2/12
Health and safety at work act 1974
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering work-related health and safety in the United Kingdom. It sets out a lot of your employers' responsibilities for your health and safety at work.
The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing health and safety at work.
Your employer has a 'duty of care' to ensure, as far as possible, your health, safety and welfare while you're at work. They should start with a risk assessment to spot possible health and safety hazards. They have to appoint a 'competent person' with health and safety responsibilities usually one of the owners in smaller firms, or a member of staff trained in health and safety.
Your rights as an employee to work in a safe and healthy environment are given to you by law and generally can't be changed or removed by your employer. Your rights are to be provided with any personal protective and safety equipment free of charge, to stop work and leave your work area, without being disciplined if you have reasonable concerns about your safety to tell your employer about any health and safety concerns you have not to be disciplined if you contact the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), or your local authority, if your employer won't listen to your concerns to have rest breaks during the working day.
Electricity at work regulations 1989
This legislation places legal implications on employers to ensure the safety of electrical devices in the workplace. The regulations dictate that all portable equipment must be inspected regularly and tested to ensure that it is safe for use. 'Portable equipment' means any electrical item that can be moved, which means that this regulation covers items from computer systems and printers to kettles and televisions. This is often referred to as portable appliance testing (PAT). There are three parts to the testing:
•visual inspection
•earth continuity
Health and safety at work act 1974
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering work-related health and safety in the United Kingdom. It sets out a lot of your employers' responsibilities for your health and safety at work.
The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing health and safety at work.
Your employer has a 'duty of care' to ensure, as far as possible, your health, safety and welfare while you're at work. They should start with a risk assessment to spot possible health and safety hazards. They have to appoint a 'competent person' with health and safety responsibilities usually one of the owners in smaller firms, or a member of staff trained in health and safety.
Your rights as an employee to work in a safe and healthy environment are given to you by law and generally can't be changed or removed by your employer. Your rights are to be provided with any personal protective and safety equipment free of charge, to stop work and leave your work area, without being disciplined if you have reasonable concerns about your safety to tell your employer about any health and safety concerns you have not to be disciplined if you contact the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), or your local authority, if your employer won't listen to your concerns to have rest breaks during the working day.
Electricity at work regulations 1989
This legislation places legal implications on employers to ensure the safety of electrical devices in the workplace. The regulations dictate that all portable equipment must be inspected regularly and tested to ensure that it is safe for use. 'Portable equipment' means any electrical item that can be moved, which means that this regulation covers items from computer systems and printers to kettles and televisions. This is often referred to as portable appliance testing (PAT). There are three parts to the testing:
•visual inspection
•earth continuity